


What I Never Knew Could Be

by TsunadesApprentice



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Break Up, Eventual Romance, F/M, Multi, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-10-25 15:41:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17728040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsunadesApprentice/pseuds/TsunadesApprentice
Summary: After the ToP universes six and seven continue to find their lives intertwined. Between brotherly competition and a collective realisation by Kaios and Hakaishins alike that more involvement is needed, friendships are forged between the two teams and lives are changed forever.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not, nor ever will, own any parts of or rights to the Dragon Ball franchise. I only have a claim to my own imagination and a few typos.

**What I Never Knew Could Be**

_ Chapter 1 _

 

**Goku**

  
The journey back to earth passed in a flash of light and Goku blinked, finding himself at Capsule Corp once more.  
  
He chuckled, slightly uncomfortable, as Bulma threw herself at Vegeta and, looking around, he was slightly surprised to see Mr Satan and Dende rising from their seats at the small, round table.  
  
The large man shot a glance over the group before meeting Goku's eyes, the worry - perhaps even terror - of the last hour clear on his face.  
  
“You- you won?” He stammered out, not looking away for even an instant, face fearfully hopeful. “We made it?”  
  
Goku grinned, rubbing tiredly at the back of his head and nodding.  
  
“We- I mean- Of course we did!” The world Champion fell back into his usual boastful style as the fear faded from his eyes. “I never doubted that we'd win! I'm the World Champ and I know a winning team when I see one!”  
  
Goku chuckled uncomfortably once more, before breaking into a yawn.  
  
“Oh, of course!” Dende exclaimed, eagerly stumbling forward. “Please, let me heal you all.” He looked around the group to see who needed his help the most.  
  
Krillin and Master Roshi soon started quibbling as the old master refused, insisting that the senzu bean he’d already consumed had been enough. Finally they managed to agree on who would be first and Dende got to work.  
  
When it was his turn, Goku smiled as the aches, pains and fatigue lifted off him and he quickly fell into a series of stretches, releasing the tension and stress of the last hour.  
  
Dende made quick work of healing the others and they were soon ready to go their separate ways. Whis and Beerus were the first to leave, with a promise to return in a couple of days, once everyone had rested.  
  
Rather than flying to 17’s island, Goku decided to use instant transmission, taking the cyborg with him and returning with the three exuberant children.  
  
Unsurprisingly the boys were curious about the ‘party’. Goku had to admit, he didn't envy Bulma and Vegeta the task of dealing with Trunks on this. Goten was lively, flighty and easily distracted and the suggestion of heading home for dinner was enough to distract him. Trunks was a different matter altogether. Already he was shooting suspicious looks around the place, noting the absence of anything that would suggest a party, eyeing up the torn and dirtied clothing of the remaining fighters. He was almost as lively as Goten but, aside from their love of fighting, that was where the similarities ended. Trunks had a sharp mind and a knack for getting what he wanted, partnered with a stubborn streak to match either of his parents.  
  
Deciding it was better to leave before Trunks could voice his suspicions, Goku took his youngest son by the shoulder and, with a wave and a “See ya later!”, used instant transmission to take them home.  


  
~~~~

  
“Bulma called while you were gone.”  
  
Goku looked up from his almost empty bowl.  
  
“She did?” He didn't know where this was going but the fact that Chichi had waited until Goten had left the table, along with her flat tone of voice, was a clear indicator that he was in trouble.  
  
“Yes, Goku san!” Chichi answered shortly.  
  
They fell into an uncomfortable, tense silence as she waited for him to come clean about what he'd done and he waited for her to lose patience and tell him what his latest misdemeanour actually was.  
  
“She seemed surprised that you'd tried to keep it secret from the others that the fate of the universe was hanging on this tournament.” She finally supplied, leaving unsaid the fact that she, too, hadn't been told that particular fact.  
  
“Well, uh-”  
  
“Did you not think that I had a right to know?” She cut across him, clearly angry.  
  
“Chichi-”  
  
“No Goku san! You disappear time and again, you hardly ever earn anything for this family to live off, you neglect your son’s education,” she paused momentarily to draw breath, pointing her finger at him in anger, “and now you hide from me that the universe may get destroyed and you take our _son_ with you to fight?”  
  
“I'm sorry Cheech…” Goku really didn't know what to say. It had been Gohan’s idea that the threat to the universe be kept quiet, not his - and he'd trusted his son’s judgement. But he didn't know how to explain that now.  
  
“Oh, you'd better be sorry! What if the universe had been erased? What would have happened to Goten? To Pan?”  
  
Not knowing how to answer, he decided to stay quiet.  
  
“I bet you never even thought about them, about their futures!” She continued. It was hardly the truth. Admittedly, the details hadn't been at the forefront of his mind, but he'd understood the importance of winning.   
  
He knew he was partly to blame for the tournament but how was he to know that the fates of the universes were going to hang on the outcome of a competition. They hadn't, as it had turned out, but saying that wouldn't help his situation right now.  
  
“Well, I don't care that we won. I don't care who did what. You lied to me and don't you think for one moment that you're sleeping in this house tonight!” With that she pointed at the door, waiting for him to leave.  
  
Goku stood, grasping for the words to say but coming up short. Her mind was clearly made up and continuing the conversation was only going to dig him in further.  
  
At least he'd gotten dinner.  
  
~~~~

  
  


**Kale**

 

Kale sat on her sofa, an unexpected pizza in her lap, and tried to stop her hand shaking as she drank from the can of beer Caulifla had given her. 

 

She'd not even been home two hours when the doorbell had rang and she'd found her friend at her door: pizza boxes in one hand, a supermarket shopping bag in the other and a great big grin on her face. Kale had never been one for surprises and she felt uncomfortable at the sudden intrusion, but she couldn't deny that the food was welcome, as was the interruption to her stunned state after arriving home. 

 

“Aren't ya hungry?” 

 

Kale glanced up at her friend, tearing herself out of her thoughts to find Caulifla had already started on her second slice. 

 

“I ain't gonna stay long.” Caulifla went on, unperturbed. “But I had to go past anyway, and thought you'd be just as hungry as I was, so I thought I'd drop in.”

 

Kale nodded, picked up a slice of her pizza and took a bite. With a groan of pleasure she sat back on her sofa as she chewed. When she looked back to her boss, the older woman was grinning at her. 

 

“Nothin’ like pizza and beer after a hard day!” Caulifla exclaimed, mirroring Kale's movement as she settled back into the sofa and took a long drink. 

 

Kale searched for a response but came up blank. Instead she smoothed her pajama top, trying not to look self conscious. She wasn't good at small talk and the day had left her too raw. She often envied Caulifla’s confidence; the way she could always find something to say. 

 

Kale could never do that. 

 

“So what do you think of what Vados said? About the training?” Caulifla asked as she started on her third slice of pizza, shooting Kale a sideways glance. 

 

“Do you think she means it?” Kale asked hesitantly. She'd found a measure of confidence during the tournament but now, back home under the glare of a bare light bulb and the not so welcoming surround of old furniture and peeling paint, that confidence felt like a foolish thing. 

 

“She'd better!” Caulifla steadied the box in her lap as she folded a leg up under herself and turned to face Kale more fully. “Now that I've seen how strong saiyans can be… Just think how much stronger we'll be with training! Vados said those guys've been training with her brother for a couple of years now and we held our own. Just imagine what we'll be able to do with the same training!”

 

Kale could already see the excitement in her friend and a shadow of her earlier confidence and excitement stirred inside her, but it quickly faded under a flood of exhaustion and her constant companion - self doubt.

 

“I- I don't-” Kale shrunk in on herself as her words failed her once again. It wasn't that she didn't know what she wanted to say, but the words seemed stuck in her throat. 

 

“Stop worrying, Kale!” Caulifla leaned over, swapping two of their slices. “You were amazing! Just you wait. Once we start training you'll see.”

 

Caulifla's smile was bright, her posture eager but comfortable. At ease in her own skin, that's what Caulifla was. It hadn't mattered what the tournament had thrown at her, Caulifla had never doubted herself. 

 

And Kefla… 

 

Kale was still reeling from having been fused. The experience had been unlike anything Kale had ever experienced and for a second Kale felt overwhelmed at the memory, her chest tightening at the flood of conflicting emotions. But in those same memories she found a vestige of the easy - even overwhelming - confidence Kefla had felt. Forcing herself to breathe, Kale calmed herself as much as she could and forced herself to pick up the next slice of her pizza. Sometimes the pretense of normal was the best she could manage. 

 

“Here.”

 

Kale startled slightly at finding another can in front of her face. She hadn't even noticed her friend leaving the room, but she accepted the drink gratefully. “Arigatō,” she murmured, cracking the can and taking a long drink. Then another. 

 

Beside her, Caulifla did the same, getting herself comfortable on the sofa before starting on her second beer. 

 

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence as they ate, moving on to the ice cream Caulifla had also brought with her, once they finished the pizza. They made quick work of the beers too. 

 

At some point she must have fallen asleep, though Kale had no memory whatsoever of doing so, but when she woke in the morning she found herself in her bed, Caulifla long gone. 

~~~~  
  


**GOKU**

  
Goku liked nights like these. It was fresh but mild, with barely a cloud in the sky to obstruct the view of the stars.  
  
He'd gone for a swim and a bath in the river, and now sat on the bank in front of a crackling fire, simply breathing in the cool night air.  
  
This was his favourite spot in the whole area. It was only minutes from the house and there was a steady supply of fresh fish. The fire was built on a patch blackened by decades’ worth of fires and it was rare for more than a couple of days to pass without a fresh one being built here. Even before Goku had landed on earth, Grandpa Gohan had been coming here for years, and now Trunks and Goten often made their way here on hot, sunny afternoons.  
  
But at night it was all his.  
  
Laying down on the soft grass of the bank he let out a contented sigh. He was glad this place was still here: his family, his universe. And the other universes, too.  
  
He'd been eager to fight with the other competitors, eager to win, too. But the threat of erasure and the knowledge that anyone he defeated would be erased along with everything they cared for… It had been horrifying to the point where he hadn't been able to let himself think about it as he'd been fighting.  
  
But it had all been fixed.   
  
They were all still out there, somewhere in space. Or however it worked with universes.  
  
The thought made his blood heat: so many strong fighters, so many with potential and so many more that he had yet to encounter. It made a grin spread across his face.  
  
“Goku san?”  
  
He'd nearly been dozing off when his wife's voice broke through the near silence of the night.  
  
With a jolt Goku sat up, turning in her direction.  
  
“Chichi…?”  
  
There were tear stains on her cheeks and fresh tears welling in her eyes as she entered the circle of firelight.  
  
It took less than the blink of an eye for him to get to his feet and cross the short distance between them. But he didn't know what to do once he was there. She never came looking for him and rarely ever let him see her emotions. Comforting her as he wanted could be completely the wrong thing to do. But what else could he do?  
  
Carefully, with infinite gentleness, he pulled her into an embrace.  
  
It terrified him; just how breakable she felt in his arms.  
  
They'd been married for over 25 years and in that time they'd grown close, and then grown apart again. Goku couldn't even remember the last time he'd held her like this or the last time they'd been this close.  
  
And, after fighting the strongest men, women and whatever else from around all the universes, her fragility seemed even more clear to him. Even the two tiny saiyan women, both considerably smaller than his wife, hadn't had that feeling of vulnerability about them.  
  
“What if we'd been erased?” Chichi finally sobbed into his chest, her tears wetting his chest where his missing gi had left it bare.  
  
“We weren't.” It was the best answer he had. He wasn't Gohan with his intellect and a way with words, or Vegeta with his brusque anger, nor even Piccolo; pensive to the point of near silence. He didn't know what it really would have meant to be erased - he didn't think it would matter since no one would be aware of it happening. But somehow that didn't seem like a comforting answer for his wife.  
  
Sometimes he wondered just why he was so very different to everyone else he knew.  
  
“Please, Goku san, please tell me you're done with all of this. That you're done with all the fighting.”  
  
Goku was speechless for a long moment. Were they really having this conversation again?  
  
“I'll try…” He eventually forced the words out. Again, it was the best he could manage.  
  
He'd tried, before: to do as she asked, to make her happy. But he loved fighting, lived for it even. And just because he stopped, that didn't mean that the universe was done with him.  
  
Time and time again a new challenge had appeared. A stronger foe. A bigger danger.  
  
Couldn't Chichi see that had Zeno truly wanted to erase the universes, simply not taking part wouldn't have saved them? It would have meant their end, without them having any chance of saving themselves.  
  
Was that really what she wanted him to do?  
  
With a final shuddering breath she pulled away from him.  
  
“You don't have to sleep out here.” She said with a small, shaky smile, meeting his eyes. He met that smile with one of his own, trying to ignore how very forced it felt.


	2. Chapter 2

 

**Bulma**

  
  
It had been a lot of years since Bulma had had such a long and nerve wracking day and she found herself fighting back another yawn.  
  
It was well past midnight but her kitchen was still bustling: her mother, completely overjoyed at the prospect of such old friends staying the night, had wasted no time at all in preparing rooms for Master Roshi and Krillin along with his family, after they'd accepted Bulma’s offer. Now her mother was happily preparing them a late dinner, Trunks and Marron having already been fed and put to bed. Vegeta, of course, was digging into the leftovers of the children’s meal and would undoubtedly be hungry again by the time their dinner was served.  
  
Bulma wasn't a fighter but she hated being out of the loop on what had happened, so she'd extended the offer of dinner and a bed to her friends, knowing that she'd be lucky to get even the vaguest details from her brooding husband.  
  
Their stories certainly didn't disappoint. 

 

She could tell that Krillin was ashamed of having fallen out of the ring so early in the fight, but it had certainly given him the best vantage point from which to observe.  
  
As she'd listened to the fragmented comments, it hadn't been hard to notice a pattern: even with such high stakes and no mutually beneficial ending possible, their team and Universe Six had worked together a significant number of times throughout the tournament.   
  
She'd seen the short, lanky saiyan talking to Vegeta at the baseball match, never mind their fight at the first tournament, and had seen the rivalry between the two teams. But it seemed that, bit by bit, those rivalries were turning into friendships - even under such dire circumstances.  


Now she wanted more than just bits and pieces. Time to start digging. 

  
“Were all the Universe Six fighters from last time there? What were their names again…?” She asked the leading question, hoping to get them talking.  
  
“That's right,” Master Roshi answered, taking another sip of his tea, “there was that big metal-man: Magetta, and the Winnie the Pooh lookalike… What was his name?” He directed the question at the ceiling, lips pursed in thought, before glancing askance at Krillin.  
  
“Erm…” Krillin looked quickly to his wife, but 18 clearly had no intention of supplying an answer. With a sigh he took on a pensive expression. “You know, I think it was Botamo. Or something like that.”  
  
“Hmm. That sounds like it. He was the first of that team to fall out of bounds, ” Master Roshi confirmed and Bulma nodded at the old man in encouragement. That matched up with what small bits and pieces they had already told her.  
  
Master Roshi sipped at his tea again before continuing. “Then there was that trickster, Frost. And Hit, of course. That little saiyan was there, too. The one who calls Vegeta Shishō,” the old man chuckled quietly to himself at the thought.   
  
Bulma didn't miss the scowl on her husband’s face at the mention of Cabba and did her best to suppress her smile. Vegeta had never been good at admitting when he didn't dislike someone – ‘like’ was a word she knew he’d never use. Probably time to move on from the young soldier before he interrupted the conversation and things got sidetracked.  
  
“But that's just five. Didn't you say something about other saiyans?”  
  
“Ooooooooh, yes!” Roshi cooed appreciatively. “Two hotties!”  
  
Bulma knew she really shouldn't be surprised that there were saiyan women - it was only natural, after all - but she was. She was so used to saiyans being an almost extinct race and had thought of them for such a long time in the male sense, that it seemed strange. Master Roshi's typically pervy remarks barely even registered, curious as she was to know more.   
  
“Really Master Roshi?” Krillin chuckled uncomfortably. “I kinda thought they were pretty scary… especially the taller one!”  
  
18 raised an eyebrow at her husband, “She was powerful, but she wasn't the dangerous one of the two…” a moment’s pause. “Well, unless you were Goku.”  
  
A quiet huff of laughter came from Vegeta's end of the table. There was a story there, Bulma could tell.   
  
“She's right, you know.” Master Roshi took over the story once more. “That Kale's transformation has truly terrifying power and she was almost indestructible. But, at first she completely lost control of her mind. It took her far too long to gain control of herself. She's got terrifying power, no doubt about it, but she's practically a rookie and a follower to boot.   
  
“That girl needs a lot of help before she'll be a threat to a skilled fighter.  
  
“But the other one - the skinny one - she's a different kind of fighter altogether! Their universe has only known about super saiyan for a couple of months, but she'd already perfected it and achieved the next level, too. It took her mere minutes of fighting with Goku to go on and master that. She's inexperienced compared to Goku or Vegeta but she's got a good head on her and instincts to match.  
  
“Add to that the fact that that Kale girl does whatever she tells her and she's definitely the more dangerous of the saiyans we've met.”  
  
Krillin nodded thoughtfully.  
  
“And you said earlier that her transformation was different? Kale's, I mean.” Bulma asked, intrigued. Just how many saiyan transformations were there?   
  
Krillin was still lost in thought and Roshi was digging into the meal Bunny had just placed in front of him, but 18 nodded sharply.  
  
“It was unlike anything we've seen before.” The blonde's voice was typically sharp. “She grew considerably in size and it was as if she was completely impervious to damage while in that state… She was like a different person after she transformed…”  
  
“Hmm,” Bulma murmured, thinking, definitely wanting to know more about these new saiyans but wanting to keep the conversation on the tournament rather than going off on tangents. . “But that's still only seven. What about the others?”  
  
“Well… There was that little ‘Doctor’, whatever his name was. I never saw him do anything before he got knocked out. And there were two Namekians.” Master Roshi took up the story once more, speaking between mouthfuls of food. “They were the last fighters for that universe. They were unbelievably strong for namekians and they fought proudly.”

 

Bulma nodded thoughtfully and let the others get on with their meal. There was still so much more she didn't know and so many questions bouncing around in her head, but they deserved to eat in peace after everything they'd been through. And she needed to piece together what she'd learned and decide what her next questions should be. 

 

She watched her husband, eating in his typical, saiyan way and thought that perhaps he'd come back the most changed of all of them.   
  
“I have an idea…” Bulma said at last, “Whis did say that he and Beerus would be back in a couple of days… I think we should have them invite Universe Six for a party!”  
  
  


* * *

 

**Goku**

 

  
Goku was tired. He really was. But since following Chichi back into the house and finally getting into bed, he hadn't been able to sleep at all.  
  
His mind kept replaying the fights of the tournament; the kicks, the blows, the impacts; the anticipation; the _excitement._  
  
And the pleas of his wife asking him to give up the thing he loved most.  
  
Instead of being comfortable, his bed was stuffy and too quiet, and try as he might, he just couldn’t clear his head. Sleep, for once in his life, had abandoned him.   
  


 

* * *

 

**Caulifla**

 

Caulifla had gotten drunk last night. Really drunk.  _ Too drunk,  _ her head complained as she cracked an eye to the glaring daylight. 

 

She hadn't stopped after putting Kale to bed: it hadn't been hard to find some of her guys and they'd all been happy to buy, even if by then she hadn't felt like talking about the fights. They'd all heard what Cabba had said about the universe being erased and they were all just glad to still be alive. She couldn't blame them. 

 

She was sure, too, that it hadn't just been alcohol they'd been celebrating with last night, but she really couldn't remember. 

 

Rolling over, she pulled the duvet over her head, grateful for the darkness, unte the thought intruded that she really ought to check on Kale again. She didn't want to think about it - she wanted to go back to sleep - but the thought had made its way into her muddled head and it was stuck there now. 

 

Kale… Kale was a special case. Caulifla considered Kale to be one of hers: not just a member of her gang, but one of the few that she thought of as  _ hers _ , no matter what. The young woman had a core of steel but she had more than her fair share of issues. Issues that sometimes Caulifla wished she didn’t have to deal with, but the thought of leaving Kale to deal on her own just wasn't one she could swallow.

 

Grabbing her phone and covering her eyes from the glare she knew it would make, Caulifla grumbled at her phone to send a voice message, glad of how well it recognised her commands even when hungover, and managed to record what she hoped was an intelligible question. 

 

The response came quickly. “ _ Yeah, I'm fine. _ ” Kale's voice was quiet but steady, more reassuring than the words themselves. “ _ Are you? _ ” 

 

_ Good question.  _

 

Caulifla couldn't be bothered with an answer, instead letting herself fall back into sleep, hoping that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't feel quite so awful when she woke up. 

 

* * *

  
  


**Caulifla**

 

Several hours later, sunlight shining directly onto her face, Caulifla woke to find she had more messages waiting for her. Another voicemail from Kale, a series of messages from her second and a message from Cabba. 

She knew she hadn't given the Elite her number. Maybe her brother deserved a good wallop. 

 

Groaning but feeling a little better, she started on Kale's message. 

 

“ _ I guess that answers that. Um, Chini messaged me a while ago saying he couldn't get hold of you and what should he do about the shipment from Julienne. It's sorted for now but you should probably check that what I've told him is right. What happened? There wasn't  _ that  _ much beer! _ ”

 

Pressing the record button she spoke into the phone. “There wasn't  _ enough  _ beer. I went down to the bar. I got carried away.” Remembering the rest of Kale's message she hit record again, “Whatever you told him to do is fine. It's his job to sort it out, not yours and he knows it.”

 

Stripping off as she entered the bathroom, she read through Chini’s messages. Typical stuff. The man was capable, no doubt about it, but every now and then, he'd ask dumb questions. He'd have been her third, rather than second, had Kale been up to handling the pressure, and he knew it. That was why he'd deferred to Kale, despite her lower rank. She'd have to talk to him about that. He could be second and do it properly, or he could not. No in-betweens. 

 

She was about to put the phone down and get into the shower when she saw Cabba's message. 

 

_ Champa wants to see the three of us this afternoon  _

 

She looked at the time. It was already afternoon. Her head was still pounding and this wasn't helping. 

 

_ What's that mean? _ She shot back, glad to see he was online already. 

 

She'd finished cleaning her teeth before she got a response. Still waiting to get in the shower. 

 

_ Any time between 4 & 5  _

 

Next came a location. The Elite's training centre. 

 

_ Great _

 

She really hoped he could read the sarcasm in that one word.    


  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter this time. I know not much happens here but I'm just setting up the scene and positioning the characters for the next chapters.
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Toodles!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey peeps!  
> Thank you to everyone who is following this story or who has left kudos! Here's the next chapter for you!

 

**Caulifla**

 

Caulifla hated the military training grounds here in Paysanne. Years ago in her deluded youth, she'd tried to follow after her brother, thinking that the military might suit her. Maybe it would have if those left in charge of initial training hasn't been idiots. 

 

Caulifla could follow orders, in fact she liked having a solid chain of command, but she wasn't one for arbitrary instructions. If there was a reason for something she'd do it. If she didn't know the reason then she had to trust that the person giving the order had a good reason. Unfortunately, most of the individuals in charge of her training had been little more than petty bullies who between them didn't have two brain cells to rub together. She'd told herself over and over that she just had to stick it out, it  _ would  _ get better. But as a teenage girl - an unusually strong teenage girl at that, in a predominantly male environment - she'd been the one to receive the worst treatment. 

 

At the time she'd been furious at herself for letting them drive her out, for forcing her to quit, but even then she'd known that there was no way she'd last in an organisation that treated its people like that. Even if it did get better after initial training was over, the fact that as an organisation they allowed that those outside of the norm - regardless or perhaps because of above average skills - to receive such treatment, told her everything she needed to know. 

 

Now she was back here, Kale stood one one side, Cabba on the other, as they waited for Vados and Champa to arrive. 

 

Kale looked uncomfortable to be stood in the centre of the training grounds, teams running laps around the perimeter, but unfortunately being uncomfortable wasn’t unusual for Kale

 

“Remind me again why we have to meet them  _ here _ ?” Caulifla said, rounding on Cabba once more. 

 

He flinched a little under the look she was giving him and bowed apologetically. “This is where we always meet, Caulifla san. Vados simply said to meet them as normal.”

 

“And you couldn't recommend anywhere better?” She asked, trying but failing to keep the snarl out of her voice. She didn't much like the young soldier but it wasn't his fault she was still hungover. 

 

Fortunately it was only a couple more minutes until the strange duo appeared before them. Except that it wasn't just Vados and Champa: Hit was with them too, as was Fuwa. 

 

Frankly, Champa looked even worse than she felt. The obese cat looked stressed and Caulifla had to wonder just what it had done to a God of Destruction to himself be destroyed, if only for a short time. It had certainly shaken  _ her _ . Vados and Hit on the other hand, looked as if they'd walked out of some photo shoot. Despite their odd clothing and appearance there wasn't a wrinkle or crease to be seen and neither of them looked like they'd just lived through the end of the universe. It certainly didn't do much for Champa’s image to be flanked by the two of them. But perhaps that was what Fuwa was there for. 

 

Shorter and dumpier than Champa, the green-skinned Kai was, if possible, even less impressive than the cat, and looked even more rattled. Frankly, he managed to make even Champa look almost composed and presentable. Caulifla had to admit that this was probably a trying time for the two of them, but it was exactly at times like these that they should be even more in control than normal. Isn't that what they were there for? To be leaders? 

 

“Good, you're all here.” Champa said in place of a greeting. “Now where can I get some food around here?”

 

_ ‘Oh yeah,’  _ she thought, ‘ _ impressive stuff. _ ’ Not that food would hurt. 

 

Apparently this was normal as it turned out that Cabba had already made reservations for them. 

 

Caulifla fell into steep behind them as they started moving, not really wanting to get drawn into conversation. Naturally Kale fell in beside her, but surprisingly, so did Hit. 

 

“Long night?” The assassin asked and she glared at him through her sunglasses. 

 

“Are they always this impressive?” She asked instead of answering, nodding her head at the cat. 

 

Hit shot her a sideways glance, knowing or conspiratorial perhaps, for all his face was expressionless. “More or less.”

 

“And the others?” 

 

He knew what she meant: the other gods. “I met most of them for the first time yesterday, the same as you. Universe Seven… is marginally better. Beerus is more dignified on the surface but not when he's dealing with his brother. Their Supreme Kai handles himself well but he's inexperienced and the older Supreme Kai spends most of his time chastising him. From what little I've learned, they're just more used to dealing with the unexpected.”

 

It was a longer answer than she'd expected from the usually recalcitrant assassin.

 

“You've met them a few times?” Caulifla asked, taking advantage of his current mood. Kale was listening with interest too. 

 

“Ah.”

 

So much for that talkative streak. 

 

“Any idea what this is about?” She pressed. Hit had travelled here with them so he might know more. 

 

“Champa’s unhappy about losing. Vados suggested offering training.”

 

Caulifla nodded, “She said as much yesterday.” 

 

The conversation died off as they moved out of the training grounds and onto the city streets, but fortunately they didn't have far to walk. 

 

To her surprise, Cabba was the one who placed the orders once they were seated in the restaurant. Fuwa, Champa and Vados being unfamiliar with the foods seemed happy to let him choose for them. 

 

Caulifla couldn't remember being at such an uncomfortable dinner since her last family meal. Fuwa looked distinctly on edge, watching Champa as if he might explode at any moment, and the cat genuinely looked as if he might. But he also looked as if he might cry, all while keeping up a feeble façade of imperiousness. 

 

“Champa sama,” Vados chimed in, her voice politely deferring, but clear all the same, “Wasn't there something you wanted to say?” 

 

The chubby cat seemed to grind his teeth before collecting himself enough to talk. “You all fought well yesterday,” he said, the words sounding forced, “But-  _ but it wasn't enough _ !” his composure slipped and the words burst out of him as he slammed a fist down onto the table, setting the cutlery to rattling and making Kale flinch. 

 

Seeing Champa’s emotional state, Fuwa cut in. “Perhaps,” he started timidly, eyeing them and fastidiously keeping his eyes off the cat, “we have been remiss in our handling of the situation. As Kais, our duties are to enable mortals to grow and develop, guiding them towards enlightened and peaceful civilisations. The Hakaishin are tasked with ensuring enough change to enable this. I think perhaps we have taken too passive a role in our duties, allowing mortals to develop freely…” He too trailed off as Vados nodded her agreement. 

 

“There is much room for improvement.” She said, voice and bearing sure but polite. She was certainly the most capable of the three. “Considering Zeno sama’s recent interest in fighting, Champa sama and Fuwa sama thought it prudent to start by offering the four of you training. 

 

“We have discussed the events which took place during your absence,” she continued, and Caulifla wanted to scoff at the choice of words, “And have agreed that, of all the participants in the tournament, saiyans showed the most growth. Hit has also shown a great propensity for rapid development and as such is included in this invitation.”

 

“She's right!” Champa exploded.” Those damned saiyans of my brother's-” he clenched his fist, cutting himself off, “We need to beat them!” He growled, voice determined, looking each of them in the eye.

 

Champa seemed to be walking a fine line. The events of the tournament had clearly shaken him deeply and his pride was hurt, but he seemed to be making an effort to not write off their achievements, despite their loss. He might not be a very good leader but he  _ was _ trying. 

 

“You said you lost to Universe Seven before?” Caulifla asked, referencing what Cabba had mentioned the day before, trying not to make it sound like a jab at the cat's pride. 

 

“Hai,” Cabba nodded, cutting in before anyone could take offence, “once in a smaller tournament and once in a game of sports.”

 

“Is Son Goku always with them?” 

 

“That damn idiot is my brother's trump card!” Champa burst out, “I hate him! I  _ hate _ him!” The god was pulling at his long ears in frustration and Caulifla couldn't help but think it was no surprise their team hadn't won: if their universe’s gods were so pathetic what hope was there? 

 

“Give me just a fraction of the training they've had and I'll take him down,” she said, looking at the cat, promising it to herself as much as him. 

 

“Son Goku won't lose easily.” Hit said from beside her. “He has an unprecedented capacity to adapt and grow.”

 

“You think I can't win?” she challenged the ancient assassin. 

 

“It's unlikely.”

 

“Watch me.”

* * *

 

**Vados**

 

Vados watched the exchange impassively. 

 

She'd already decided not to tell anyone just how strong Vegeta san and Goku san had become by the end of the tournament. It wouldn't do any good for them to know. Not right now. 

 

Vados, like her siblings, was merely a guide. She served as an assistant and an advisor as needed, but her role was far more profound than that. And far more subtle. 

 

It had been her and her siblings who had advised Zeno sama on which universes should be exempt from the tournament, and which should compete. 

 

And it had definitely been to Universe Six’s advantage that they take part. Not only were Champa and Fuwa in dire need of a wakeup call, but inter-universal interaction had been non existent for far too long. It wasn't something that was supposed to happen regularly but it  _ did _ need to happen. 

 

As such she'd been pleased when the two deities had come to the conclusion that their previous lax attitude could no longer continue. 

 

Similarly, watching the young saiyan woman speak so confidently gave her a sense of satisfaction. She might be misguided about how mammoth a task she was facing, but she was facing it with solemn determination. There was a chance she’d never reach her goal, though it was hard to make accurate predictions where saiyans were involved, but she'd certainly try. And by doing so she'd make a difference. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it wasn't very long but I'll be posting chapter 4 this weekend. Next up: Bulma’s party


	4. Chapter 4

**Chichi**

 

  
The Briefs household was as clean and modern as ever, exactly as you'd expect of the wealthiest family on Earth. For years Chichi had longed for a home like theirs – a _life_ like theirs – but she’d finally conceded that it was never going to happen. She might have been a princess, but she was never going to live a life of luxury and ease like Bunny Briefs.  
  
It had been almost two weeks since that ridiculous tournament and she still couldn’t understand just what had driven Bulma to throw this party. It wasn't as if Bulma ever really needed an excuse to throw a party but wasn’t her friend as sick of all this fighting as she was? Bulma had never been a fighter, unlike Chichi herself, and Chichi couldn’t understand why Bulma included herself as much as she did in any fight that was going on. Nor why she let Vegeta leave constantly; he was as bad as Goku, and this party was just encouragement to the lot of them to keep on with their nonsense. 

 

Chichi had only just gotten her husband to stop wasting his hours training and to act a bit more responsible: the last thing she needed was this.   
  
Never mind that Chichi had seen the other universe's fighters at the previous tournament and couldn’t imagine that any of them had any interest in coming here. The small saiyan aside – finally a saiyan who was polite and well spoken! – they’d been an odd lot. Chichi knew that Bulma’s curiosity was insatiable, but to invite an assassin into your home? Or a giant rubber bear and his lava-spewing metal friend? Wasn’t it bad enough that Bulma insisted on inviting Whis and Beerus back again and again? That was what had started all this recent mess. And Kami forbid the heiress had invited that awful Frost.  
  
Despite her disapproval she felt for this whole affair, for once Chichi had actually managed to get all of her family here on time. She’d had to lie and tell her hyperactive husband that the party started hours before it actually had, but they’d made it on time for once. It always amazed her how he could appear just in time for a fight but be late to absolutely everything else. 

  
She’d tried, really tried, to get him to wear some more appropriate clothes than his usual garish gi: she didn’t want her family to look like a bunch of hooligans in front of all their friends. But of course, this was Goku - the most passively stubborn man she’d ever known; as such he was still wearing his training clothes, albeit clean ones. And, seeing Vegeta dressed similarly in his typical saiyan armour, she supposed she was truly fighting a losing battle on that front.  
  
Chichi had just sat down in the shade of an umbrella, drink in hand, when the by-now familiar flash of light shot from the sky, hitting the ground in the large, clear space between the tables. It was larger than usual and faded to reveal another of those travelling cubes, Whis standing on top once more, Vados beside him.   
  
It was a matter of moments before all of the passengers had stepped out onto the Capsule Corp. grounds and the cube vanished.  
  
Chichi had somewhat expected the two enormous creatures, and the stoic-faced purple assassin. Frost fortunately wasn’t there, but the small saiyan man, still in his usual blue clothing, was. _Saiyans…_

 

She looked appraisingly at a small red boar dressed in dark robes and glasses. He didn't look like a fighter at all.   
  
What she hadn’t expected was two more namekians, their faces as stern and unreadable as her own former house guest. Chichi might not admit it out loud but she had a little bit of a soft spot for the namekians. For all that Piccolo certainly wasn’t typical for his species, he’d been a support during the years that Goku had been dead that she couldn’t have done without. The other namekians were a kind and sympathetic people who didn’t fight or antagonise, instead going out of their way to perform small acts of kindness for those around them. Altruistic was perhaps the best way to describe them. Out of all of the strange “friends” they'd made over the years, the namekians were the ones she liked the most. 

 

Perhaps these two would be the same, despite having been caught up in the nonsense of the tournament?   
  
But the most unexpected of all were the two small, spiky-haired women standing at the edge of the group. Despite the distance between them, Chichi could see the similarities to the small saiyan soldier: the eyes, the stature. Were those saiyan _women_?  
  
They were tiny – genuinely tiny! And although one of them looked as arrogant as Vegeta, the other, the taller of the two, her hair in a ponytail atop her head, was practically hiding.  
  
“Yo! Hit!” Goku was the first one to talk, typically at ease no matter the situation. The assassin – an assassin for crying out loud – looked in her husband’s direction and nodded and apparently it was enough to set the group into motion.  
  
Cabba moved to bow to Bulma before rushing to Vegeta, repeating his bow and talking respectfully to the uninterested Prince for a short moment before returning to the group. Following brief introductions by the small soldier, Mr Briefs wandered over to talk to the small, bespectacled boar and the two namekians moved quietly out of the way, content to observe for now.  
  
The taller of the two saiyans cowered further, clearly uncomfortable at the prospect of socialising. But –  
  
“Hey! Old dude!” The smaller saiyan woman had a rough voice and an equally coarse way of talking. What kind of woman spoke like that?  
  
“Hey Caulifa!” Goku answered. Chichi wasn’t impressed to see the smile on his face. Of course he’d be friends with that one, not the polite one. “How’s it going?”  
  
“When are you gonna teach me that Blue thing?” The miniscule woman snapped back, eyes narrowed.

  
Goku, scratching at the back of his head simply responded with “You haven’t learnt it yet?”  
  
The saiyan woman looked like she was about to snarl as her eye twitched. “What’s that? Are you mocking me again?!”  
  
Chichi watched as her husband chuckled. “Well, you learned so quick in the tournament... I guess I’m interested in how much you’ve learnt since.” He waved his hands disarmingly in front of him at the sight of her angry face, “But you’re not ready for Blue yet.” As her eye began to twitch once more he grinned and added with an awkward chuckle, “Even if it won’t take you long!”  
  
Caulifla stalked up to him, jabbing him in the chest with a finger. “Don’t belittle me.” It was a growl.  
  
“’Be-little’? I don’t know what that means... But you are pretty small.” He’d barely had time to laugh before the small woman must have punched him, turned and left, but it all happened too fast for Chichi to see. She was sure she was right though from the way her husband was rubbing at his jaw and the angry woman, her back now to them as she made her way back to her companion, repeatedly clenched and unclenched her fist.  The timid woman was shooting Goku a hooded glare which didn’t go unnoticed.  
  
“Hey Kale!” Goku waved to the hunched woman whose eyes widened for an instant before she sharpened her glare and turned away, letting her friend steer her in the opposite direction.  
  
Just why had Bulma thrown this party? 

 

_ Why _ had she invited even more fighters into their lives? 

 

 _Why_?   
  


* * *

 

**Vegeta**

 

  
The party was in full swing and Vegeta was stuck here whether he liked it or not. Not only had Bulma threatened to disable the gravity room if he didn't attend, but Bulla was being passed around like nobody’s business and, though he’d never admit it to anyone, he wasn’t going to let anyone – _anyone_ – touch his daughter while he wasn’t around.  
  
And so, despite the noise and the people, the stupid music and the fact that he was missing out on training, Vegeta was here. He’d already had to endure Cabba. Perhaps there wasn’t anything wrong with the young soldier but Vegeta simply wanted to be left alone. Kakarot at least understood that and usually left him to his solitude. It made the clown tolerable at least, but Cabba, despite being far more intelligent than the earthling saiyan, seemed utterly oblivious to the fact that his company and admiration was utterly unwanted.

  
Unfortunately the smaller man seemed utterly taken with Bulla, and she with him. So Vegeta had to stay nearby.  He wasn’t hovering – he was a prince and didn’t do such things – but he wasn't going to leave his infant daughter alone with all these alien fighters from another universe. 

  
He’d be keeping watch as long as his wife was excitedly questioning Magetta, the great pile of junk, about his people. Vegeta neither knew nor cared how the metal-man’s species functioned but for his wife this was the opportunity of a lifetime. She seemed equally interested in Botamo and the way that he was impervious to damage. She’d been engrossed in conversation with them both for nearly half an hour now.  
  
The namekian, as solitary as Vegeta himself, was holding up the wall on the opposite side of the party. He’d been subtly eyeing the other namekians but had not engaged them in conversation beyond polite greetings. Their culture was very similar to the namekians of this universe it seemed and the young Guardian seemed to enjoy their company and had drawn them into the party proper, but the caped man, silent and aloof as he was, had never fit amongst his own species anyway and didn’t seem inclined to try with these new slugs.  
  
Seated at the same table as the cooing young saiyan were the other saiyans at the party. There had been some kind of disagreement between Caulifla and the clown at the start of the party, something Vegeta himself understood only far too well, but whatever it was had seemingly blown over and now Kakarot was eating, surrounded by plates. The tall saiyan was utterly relaxed in these situations, when he remembered to turn up, at least. He seemed to be enjoying the company and was totally at ease stealing food off the plate of the tiny woman beside him who would elbow him and then proceed to steal his food in return.  
  
Kale on the other hand seemed ready to curl in on herself and disappear, surrounded as she was by people. She certainly didn’t have the confidence of her ‘anesan’, nor the bearing fitting of a true saiyan. She was the larger of the two women, though still considerably smaller than the saiyan women he remembered from his childhood, but she was making a concerted effort to take up as little space as possible.  
  
Caulifla was the exact opposite: despite her diminutive size she had confidence and presence. Looking at her he would have thought it impossible for her to fight on par with either himself or Kakarot but, despite needing more training, she had enough raw power that she could match either of them in super saiyan one or two. Even though she looked as if she didn’t have an ounce of muscle on her.

  
She also looked completely oblivious to the dagger-sharp looks Kakarot’s harpy wife was sending her way. That was normal behaviour for the human woman: she had done the same with the android and that fool Satan’s daughter. She was insecure and judgmental enough that she treated all new women with the same harsh disdain.  
  
Vegeta knew that Caulifla _had_ noticed though.  
  
He’d seen the twitching of her eye when she’d first noticed the looks she was receiving, had seen as her protégé had put a gentle but restraining hand on her arm. Just the threat of an argument had the girl shrinking in on herself and Vegeta suspected it was only her nervous presence that had the fiery smaller woman acting so blasé, despite the continuing looks.  
  
Kakarot was as oblivious as ever. Of course.   
  
Vegeta wondered though, if the clown had even noticed how he’d instantly gravitated towards the other saiyans, almost the moment they'd arrived. If he was aware of how his face had split in a grin that was somehow more earnest and more excited than usual, as he spoke to the fierce woman.  
  
Vegeta knew he was hardly a good example of interpersonal skills himself, but he’d never seen Kakarot act like that even once with a woman, not even his wife, in the years that he’d known him. The clown was relaxed and easy-going with everyone, but this was different. This was how he acted with his sons or Krillin or, Vegeta found himself realising, with Vegeta himself. 

 

This was the side of Kakarot reserved for those he was closest with. 

 

And, as Chichi continued shooting sharp looks at the rowdy group, Vegeta came to the conclusion that _she_ wasn't on that list.   
  
Thinking about it now, Kakarot and his wife had a more cordial relationship than Vegeta thought he himself could ever have with the Harpy, but their relationship seemed formal at best.  
  
He’d questioned many times over the years just why Kakarot - the strongest warrior he’d ever known - would endure such treatment as he received from his wife, and each time he’d come up short. He never questioned it aloud, of course, and never would. Even if the question resurfaced each time he saw them together.

  
It hadn’t really been a point of interest to him until after they fused while fighting Buu. That was an event that he tried not to think about, but he couldn’t truly deny that it had happened and in those minutes... He didn’t know how to describe it, even to himself. Vegito had been a person all his own, a being meant to last the rest of their mortal lives. It had been different to what the boys described when they spoke about the fusion, had had none of the sense of impermanence. Vegito had been neither Vegeta nor Kakarot but a new being comprised of everything that they were and had been.  
  
Though he hadn’t noticed at first, caught up in the search for the boys and the fight as he had been, he’d retained most of Vegito’s memories – Kakarot’s memories. And though they weren’t his memories and he could always tell the difference, for a short while they had been Vegito’s memories and he had been Vegito.  
  
The short and simple of it was that he had plenty of memories of Kakarot’s life with the human woman, had even more from the second fusion, and none of them gave Vegeta the sense of a happy marriage.  
  
The two were practically strangers living under the same roof – when she allowed him to sleep under that roof at all. The clown was fond of her but there was no love lost between them. And Vegeta, as a more objective observer, could see very little love on her part either.  
  
Still, to see him reacting so openly to these new saiyans...  It threw that difference into stark relief, and Vegeta found himself intrigued.   
  


* * *

**Caulifla**

 

  
She’d noticed those looks. Of course she had.  
  
Just what was that woman’s problem?  
  
Her vision had barely cleared after the flash of light in which they’d arrived before the old human woman was looking at her as if she’d somehow mortally offended her. At first Caulifla had wondered if it was because their universes had been opponents in the tournament, but none of the others had reacted in any way similarly: Vegeta’s blue haired mate had been friendly and welcoming; the black haired woman with Gohan, too, for all that she’d been a little more reserved. Caulifla thought her name had been given as Videl.   
  
There were a number of others whom she hadn’t seen at the tournament and none of them had treated her, or any of them, with anything less than respect, though some were clearly a little wary or nervous.

 

Well, except for Goku who seemed to treat everyone like a friend, and Vegeta who acted like he thought they were all beneath him.   
  
But not that one.  
  
Chichi, blue haired Bulma had introduced her as, but Caulifla couldn’t place her within the group. It was clear from their scents that Bulma and Vegeta were partners and that the little purple haired pre-teen was their son, the baby he held their daughter. The slender woman, Videl, and Gohan were clearly also an item It was the little black haired pre-teen that threw her. He could have been Goku’s clone and was unquestionably his son. He carried both his scent and the scent of the foul tempered woman who must have been his mother. But there was no trace, not even a hint, of Goku’s scent on her, nor hers on him. They could have been strangers.  
  
Frankly this universe's namekians carried more of the woman's scent than Goku did.  
  
It wasn’t really any of her business though, so she hadn’t asked and had instead decided, after Kale’s timely interruption, to simply ignore the miserable hag. _That_ had definitely had quite the effect: the other woman’s glares had gained in intensity throughout the party and it was only a matter of time until she exploded. In fact, Caulifla was surprised that she hadn’t already. 

 

Ignoring the woman further, Caulifla turned her attention to her surroundings.   
  
The little of the planet that they’d seen, really just this enormous compound, was pretty and tranquil. They were clearly in the middle of a city and it didn’t take a genius to see that the Briefs family – the human family that Vegeta was now a part of – was wealthy. Whether they had picked this area for its good weather was impossible to tell but the bright blue sky and small white clouds; this planet’s single, small sun; they all made for a pleasant afternoon. If the planet was generally like this she could see why the two saiyans had made their home here.  
  
Honestly, she’d been excited to receive the invitation to come here. Son Goku had been an opponent worth fighting. Most participants had been strong: some enough to provide a genuine challenge, but no one else, Jiren aside, had dominated the ring like Son Goku and his fellow Universe Seven saiyan. Even his son hadn’t been able to match up to the two of them, nor had any of their other teammates.  
  
It bothered her that these saiyans were just so much bigger than her, or saiyans of her universe. They weren’t just taller: they were broader, more muscular, more aggressive and had such strong personalities. On Sadala people like her were politely viewed as oddities. The majority had left their savage natures behind and had become much calmer, much less bloodthirsty. They still liked fighting but it was different to how Caulifla felt about it.   
  
Sitting at the table with the large man she thought that maybe, just maybe, she’d found a kindred spirit – someone else who fought for the sheer joy of it, for the thrill.

 

And now he was pinching food from her plate. Well, two could play at that game. 

 

It was daft and childish but in no time she was holding back a smile, determined not to show just how much fun she was having. 

 

She was glad she'd come.   
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading!
> 
> So, universe 6 has made it to universe 7 for Bulma’s party, and so it begins.
> 
> What's next for our favourite saiyans?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, it's time for chapter 5!
> 
> It's still pretty slow moving - more glimpses into our characters' lives and thoughts. 
> 
> *BUT* there is smut in this chapter. Not loads but a bit. 
> 
> Enjoy!

**GOKU**

 

Tending the fields was relaxing, in a calm, quiet way. It kept him moving and Goku enjoyed the days spent under the warm mountain sun. He loved being outdoors and the work was easy. 

 

Not only that, but while he was here, Goku could get away with the odd few minutes here and there of working out, and the routine of it helped keep his usual restlessness in check. 

 

“They look great, Goku-san,” Chichi's voice drifted over from the far side of the field, and Goku looked up from where he'd been crouching, carefully picking a slug of one of the cabbages. 

 

“They sure do!” he agreed, rising into the air, the small creature cradled in his hand as he drifted over towards his wife. Though he was surprised to see her here, he didn't let it show. 

 

“They'll need harvesting in the next day or two,” she said, glancing out over the vast field. 

 

Goku scrunched his face up softly in thought. Chichi was definitely better at remembering dates and schedules than he was, but… “Not yet,” he disagreed. 

 

Chichi eyed him suspiciously. For all that she was the one who kept track of planting and harvesting seasons, she'd never developed the same sense for the weather or the plants that he had. 

 

The usual seasonal showers hadn't come over the last two weeks and he'd been reluctant to use too much of the river water for irrigation as the water level had already dropped lower than normal. The air pressure had shifted over the last few hours though, and he was sure that by sunrise the next day the rain would have come. 

 

“Don't you go thinking you can put off harvesting so you can train instead,” Chichi said, eyeing him sharply. 

 

He wasn't entirely surprised at what she said. She was still mistrustful that he'd stopped training, and she had a point he supposed - he _was_ still doing workouts whenever he could, but they couldn't be called training, not by a long stretch. But this time she was wrong about his motives. 

 

“No! No!” He asserted smiling, raising his hands and taking a step back in a disarming manner. “But it's gonna rain soon, and I think it'd be good for ‘em to get some more water…”

 

She eyed him a moment longer, then nodded, seemingly pacified by his answer. Her face fell back into a satisfied smile as she looked out over the field. 

 

Feeling relieved at no longer being scrutinised, Goku began searching around for a good place to put the slug, aware of the small creature's growing distress at being trapped in the heat of his hand. Finally settling on a spot a couple of hundred metres away from the field, Goku quickly put the slug down, wiping his hand clean on his trousers as he stood. 

 

“So, uh, is dinner ready yet?” He ventured. 

 

Having Chichi here made him nervous: he hadn't forgotten her demand, just over a month ago, that he give up fighting - and he was doing the best he could - but he tried to spend as much time out of the house as he could, specifically so that the subject wouldn't come up again. 

 

“Of course not!” Chichi snapped back half-heartedly, this conversation long familiar by now. “It's far too early for dinner,” she continued, by now we'll used to dealing with him and his love of food. She rolled her eyes before turning away and beginning the walk back to the house, muttering about saiyans as she went. 

 

Goku sagged slightly in relief, glad that the tactic had worked. He cared for Chichi deeply, but - well… they each wanted very different things from life and he'd long ago learned to avoid conflict with her whenever he could. Overpowered megalomaniacs hell bent on destroying the world were something he could face up to without a shred of fear, but Chichi? Well, she was another thing entirely… 

 

* * *

 

**CAULIFLA**

 

The bed was unfamiliar, its crisp white sheets soft and cool against her skin. It should have been pleasant but compared to the hot, wet lips on her breast and the tongue licking over her nipple, it was nothing more than background noise. 

 

She squirmed slightly, pushing herself up into that wonderful mouth, and almost groaned at the brush of his calloused hand up her side, stopping frustratingly close to the curve of her neglected breast.

 

Hooking one leg over his hip, Caulifla sighed and thread her fingers through the soft, golden spikes of hair, scratching at his scalp in a way that earned her an approving shiver down his muscular back. 

 

His hand, so big and calloused, and unbelievably strong, drifted back down her body, tickling at the skin of her navel before sliding over her heated core and sending pleasure and excitement coursing up her spine. She succeeded in holding in her moan but could not stop herself further spreading her thighs to grant him easier access, wanting more. She felt lazy and indulgent as she let him play with her body. 

 

She tugged at his hair, wanting to pull him up for a kiss, but only succeeded in removing him from her nipple before he turned his attention to her other breast, nipping at the sensitive underside as she tugged at his hair again.

 

If his intention was to make her moan he got his way; the feeling of him sucking her nipple into his mouth at the same time that he slid a single finger into her was divine. She could feel her own wetness as he worked her and it wasn't long until he added a second finger, until she was writhing underneath him as she rode his hand, the palm of his hand grinding against her clit.

 

Each thrust of his digits made her want to cry out for more and each stroke of the tips of his fingers over her sensitive inner walls was pushing her closer and closer to going over.

 

She wanted to feel his mouth on her, to feel his tongue playing her clit the same way it was playing her nipple, but as his mouth started it's slow, indulgent way up her body instead of down, she could only tremble at the strength of her need.

 

Had it really been that long, that she'd be so pliant for this beautiful blond man?

 

She stopped caring as he rose up above her and removed his fingers, using that same slickened hand to pump his already hard length. The sight had her licking her lips and spreading her thighs once more in invitation.

 

His kiss swollen mouth was set in a cocky smirk as he took in her body with his eyes, lingering on her breasts and the apex of her thighs.

 

She groaned even louder as he positioned his tip at her entrance and began sliding into her. She was already so close and, as he pushed deeper and deeper into her, she knew it wouldn't take long.

 

Pulling back out, he set her inner walls to trembling as his fingers found that sensitive nub, working it expertly, thrusting back in at an angle that nearly pushed her over the edge.

 

Grasping at his shoulders she-

 

_CRASH_

 

… No…

 

Rolling onto her back, Caulifla groaned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as another ominous clatter emanated from the hallway downstairs, quickly and efficiently dispelling any last remnants of her dream.

 

‘Are they serious?!’ She growled angrily in her head. 

 

She recognised the two voices arguing downstairs and heard the tell tale signs of a fight about to break out, as well as Kale's timid attempts to calm the two gang members.

 

Definitely time to get up, dream or no.

 

Who had she been dreaming about? She didn't know any blond men, did-

 

Oh.

 

Oh yes she did.

 

And now she knew exactly which one she'd been dreaming about.

 

Shutting down that thought as abruptly and harshly as she could, she scrambled to get dressed. Even rushing as she was, she could hear the argument downstairs beginning to escalate and she really hoped they didn't actually start brawling in her hallway because if they did, after waking her up, this'd make for a memorable morning for all of them - and not in a good way. 

 

Taking a deep breath to steel herself, Caulifla pulled open her bedroom door. Time to deal with her guys.

 

And forget all about that dream. 

 

About him.

 

 

* * *

 

**GOKU**

 

“More training?!” Chichi's voice raised in a shriek, making Goku flinch.

 

“Well, yeah…” Why? Why did he never know what to say?

 

He could clearly see a blood vessel pulsing on his angry wife's forehead and knew he was in trouble this time.

 

She'd told him right after the tournament, almost two months ago, that she didn't want him fighting anymore and he'd done his best to knuckle down and work. He'd even gone so far as to take on a couple more bodyguard jobs for Mr Satan, as much as he disliked them and hated the ill-fitting suits that went with them. He'd done everything he could to avoid the subject coming up, hoping - in vain it seemed - that his wife would forget all about it.

 

But all along, her words had echoed in his head.

 

‘Please, Goku san, please tell me you're done with all of this. That you're done with all the fighting.’

 

They felt like a lead weight in his stomach.

 

These two months had been tough: His body was itching for a fight, a proper work out; and he hardly slept at all because of the restless aching of his joints.

 

Did she really expect him to give up the one thing that really mattered to him?

 

It certainly seemed that way

 

“But Chichi, Whis and Beerus are expecting me to go. And it's only training.”

 

“I don't know what you think you're training for!” Came the sharp retort as she slammed her palm down on the table, making the wood tremble. “You've already beaten every threat in this universe and if there's a problem you can just press that button and call your ‘Zen-chan’.” She scoffed the name, disdain clear in her voice.

 

“You're not young anymore Goku, when are you going to accept that?”

 

Goku had never thought of himself as old, never had a reason to.

 

And he'd never felt older than he did at that moment: sluggish muscles, aching joints, lost and completely without direction.

 

He’d felt more alive in the years he'd spent in other world than he did right now.

 

“It doesn't work like that, Chichi. We can't depend on someone else to save us.”

 

“Save us from what, exactly? Why can't you accept that there isn't anything left to fight? All you need to do is provide a role model for your son and granddaughter. Is that so hard? Everyone else can do it!”

 

Goku scratched at the back of his head, feeling awkward. She had a point, he supposed: everyone else could do it. But he wasn't everyone else. He was him. 

 

This conversation really wasn't going well. Time to try a slightly different approach.

 

“But Chichi,” he tried his most disarming, clueless smile, “Beerus really wanted us to train more. And Bulma said Vegeta's going…” That last was usually the winning line.

 

Bulma was successful, wealthy and strong willed; three things Chichi saw as important for a woman. Admittedly, Vegeta didn't work and Trunks didn't spend anywhere near the amount of time studying that Chichi thought he should, but throwing Bulma into the conversation - specifically that she was ‘allowing’ Vegeta to do something - usually helped.

 

She glared at him for several long moments before turning back to the cooking, leaving an uncomfortable, if familiar, silence hanging over them.

 

Well, he wasn't going to get anything more out of her now. With a sigh, Goku turned and made his way to the door.

 

“Fine.” Chichi's voice cut across the room and he turned to look at her, one hand still on the door handle. “You can go,” her voice was sharp with anger, “but this is the last time, Goku san!”

 

Her voice had an air of finality to it that Goku didn't like.

 

He knew he wasn't a perfect husband but never had he asked her to change anything about herself, to be someone different. He'd always done his best to do what he could to keep her happy, even when what she was asking was completely against his nature. Yes, he'd left a lot of times and he knew that was hard on her. But he couldn't understand why she was so determined to change who he was.

 

“Is that clear?”

 

How could he answer? His tongue felt like it was made of lead.

 

He swallowed and tried again “Come on Cheech, you don't really mean-”

 

“Oh, I mean it! Goku san, all you ever do is run off to train or fight. Well, no more! It's time you were a real member of this family.” She turned her back on him once more.

 

 

* * *

 

**GOKU**

 

 

The by now familiar sight of Beerus’ strange planet was more comforting than he'd expected. He'd never found it that way before but now, after another sleepless night - his wife's declaration bouncing around in his head - it felt good to be back here.

 

It was much later than usual, Whis and Beerus having stayed for dinner, and Goku was fighting to suppress a yawn.

 

Vegeta, his grey combat suit as crisp and clean as ever, didn't seem to be sharing any of his fellow saiyan’s fatigue. He didn't however object when Whis announced that training would begin in the morning and bid them goodnight.

 

Goku fell into step behind the shorter man, trailing him as they made their way to their usual room.

 

Their room, when they entered it, was the same as always. In fact, aside from the piles of clean bedding on the foot of each bed, the room appeared to have been left untouched: Vegeta's bed was still as far from Goku's as it was possible to be, and Goku's bedding was still in disarray along with the gi Whis had given him.

 

It felt strangely like home, though not as much as Other World. Neither should feel like that when he had a family and a home back on earth.

 

* * *

 

**VEGETA**

 

Vegeta wasn't one to dwell on memories, but every now and then he remembered his first day of training with Whis: the sheer difficulty of the tasks he'd been assigned, never mind how many chores he had to complete before his training even started. 

 

He'd never done a single chore in his life until he started training with Whis. He'd trained, had pushed his body and his mind to breaking point and then forced himself beyond, never resting, never stopping. 

 

But he'd never washed a plate or mopped a floor. 

 

He was the Saiyan Prince, scion to a now dead race, and he bowed to no one. But Beerus had been a foe of a caliber which Vegeta had never before encountered. Beerus was less a being than he was a force - the likes of which nothing could oppose. 

 

But, of course, nobody had told Kakarot that. 

 

The idiot had almost done the impossible. And if he could do it then Vegeta could too. 

 

He'd pushed himself harder than ever in his months on earth following their first encounter with the Hakaishin, but the moment he'd heard that Whis was in fact Beerus’ teacher the answer had become clear to him. 

 

The price of his warrior's pride had been his pride as a Prince. But what was that pride worth if he continued to lose? So he'd done it: he'd swallowed his pride and, for the first time in his life, he'd submitted himself to the teachings of another. 

 

He'd had six blissful months without the clown around but, when Whis had arrived with the idiot in tow, Vegeta had swallowed his objections and trusted Whis. The reward for his obedience and hard work had been Super Saiyan Blue. 

 

From there both he and Kakarot had worked even harder, completing their chores faster and faster to give themselves more time for training, giving everything they had and more, even knowing that come morning they'd simply start again, feeling like they'd hardly slept at all. 

 

Despite reaching a level beyond Blue, nothing had changed, Vegeta threw himself into his training with the same commitment, the same abandon. 

 

He'd failed at the tournament and that simply wasn't good enough.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I hoped you enjoyed this chapter and that you haven't lost faith in or gotten bored of my story just yet. There's still plenty more to come and we'll be getting more substantial time jumps (like in the DB verse) to move things along.

**Author's Note:**

> AN: and you've made it to the end of chapter 1! If you're still interested in where this is going, I have a few comments to make. I've currently got 2 Google docs maxed out with this fic and a third well on its way there, but I'm not sure if I want to include everything I've written or if I want to stick with my end goal. When I started writing this, Caulifla in particular was extremely unpopular and I know that this is only ever going to appeal to a niche group, but I'd like to think she's grown in popularity since then. 
> 
> This will end up as a Goku/Caulifla fic, and an explicit one at that, but relatively slow burn. What parts I do or don't post is pretty much up to you readers, as is whether I post more. So, let me know what you think, now or later, because for all that I wrote this for me, I'm sharing it for you.


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